Wedge acting railway car hopper frame and door



Oct. 11, 1955 G. B. DOREY 2,720,173

WEDGE ACTING RAILWAY CAR HOPPER FRAME AND DOOR Filed Aug. 16, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 G. B. DOREY Oct. 11, 1955 WEDGE ACTING RAILWAY CAR HOPPER FRAME AND DOOR Filed Aug. 16, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 R W w 0 a Q m w E i|||||||| mwuwiilil v w ms m@ 1 e W k Q my \l I U u, 0 w 6 Q Q N i Q m Z 8% M 5 m If A 2 4 mww 3 mm 7 Z x i Q N V X R zap/b, i Q ,N, \N 1 3 cw, k H A 9/ i 4.

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G. B. DOREY WEDGE ACTING RAILWAY CAR HOPPER FRAME AND DOOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 16. 1950 G. B. DOREY Oct. 11, 1955 WEDGE ACTING RAILWAY CAR HOPPER FRAME AND DOOR Fiied Aug. 16, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. Georgafi flor g,

United States Patent O WEDGE-ACTING RAILWAY CAR HOPPER FRAME AND DOOR George B. Dorey, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, assignor to Enterprise Railway Equipment Company, Chicago, IlL, a corporation of Illinois Application August 16, 1950, Serial No. 179,794

8 Claims. (Cl. 105-280) This invention relates to an improved frame for a railway car hopper and a door pivotally mounted in relation thereto with the parts so arranged as to admit of relative bodily movement between the door and the frame so as to bring about a wedging sealing action therebetween.

The objects of this invention, among others, are: To provide a railway car hopper frame and door having cooperating side walls arranged in converging relation whereby, upon longitudinal movement of the door in a given direction, a wedging action will be brought about between the side walls of the door and of the frame; to provide a pivotal mounting so that the door will abut the edge of the side walls of the frame when the former is in closed position and which will also have a wedging action at the sides of the door and the frame; and to provide for sealing the spaces at the corners between the door and frame where they are separated.

For a further comprehension of this invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a portion of a hopper of a railway car embodying the improvement of this invention;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional elevational view taken through the lower portion of a car and showing as much as is necessary to illustrate the construction shown in Figure l as viewed from right to left;

Figure 3 is a detached vertical frontal elevational view of the door frame only;

Figure 4 is a vertical side elevational view of the frame shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a frontal elevational view of the door and frame assembly as seen with the door positioned in nonwedging relation, the latch mechanism being omitted;

Figure 6 is a side elevational view of the structure shown in Figure 5 as viewed from left to right;

Figure 7 is a view, similar to Figure 5, except that the door is shown as moved upwardly into wedging relation with the frame;

Figure 8 is a side elevational view of the assembly shown in Figure 7 as viewed from left to right;

Figure 9 is a transverse cross sectional view taken through the door and frame and on a line corresponding substantially to the line 9-9 of Figure showing the door and frame in non-wedging relation; and

Figure 10 is a cross sectional view taken generally along the line 1010 of Figure 7 and showing the door and frame in wedging relation.

In Figure 2 of the drawings the car structure is indicated by a center sill Sand the lower portion of one of the side walls of the car is indicated at 9. Positioned in the space intermediate the center sill S and the side wall 9 is a discharge hopper 10 with a discharge opening 11, Figure 9, defined by a sloping bottom floor 12 and inner and outer side walls indicated at 13 and 14 respectively. The side walls 13 and 14 are joined to the bottom floor 12 by an arcuate shaped section 15. Spaced above the bottom sloping floor 12 and sloping in an opposite direc- 2,720,173 Patented Oct. 11, 1955 tion thereto is an upper sloping floor 16. The edge portions of the bottom and upper sloping floors 12 and 16, in combination with the side walls 13 and 14 of the hopper 10, define the boundaries of the discharge opening 11 where the frame and door assembly of this invention is positioned.

The frame is indicated, generally, at 17, Figure 3, and the door at 18, the latter being pivotally mounted on the former by pivots of hinge pins 19 which, in turn, are carried by hinge brackets 20. The frame 17 includes a lower stirrup-like section having side walls 2121, a connecting lower wall 22 and a top connecting beam 23, the latter underlying the upper sloping floor 16, as shown more clearly in Figure l. The side and lower walls 21 and 22 overlie the hopper side walls 13 and 14 and the bottom sloping floor 12. They are connected thereto by welding or riveting. Likewise the top beam member 23 is secured to the upper sloping floor 16.

At each side of the frame 17, inwardly of the side walls 21, there is disposed a triangular shaped floor section 24, Figure 3, which, at the lower portion of the hopper frame 17, merges into its side and bottom walls as illustrated. The hopper discharge opening also is defined by forwardly projecting chute walls of the frame 17. These include side walls 25--25 and top and bottom walls indicated at 26 and 27, respectively, Figures 3 and 4. The respective side walls 25 extend from the inner margins of the floor sections 24 and are disposed to extend from the hinge end of the door 18 to the swinging edge thereof in converging relation, thereby providing a wedgeshaped opening 11. The respective top and bottom walls 26 and 27 are disposed preferably in parallel relation and join with the side walls 25 by means of curved portions indicated at 28 and 29, respectively.

The bottom wall 27 of the chute forms a continuation of the overlying wall 22 of the frame 17 while the upper wall 26 of the chute forms one of the reinforcing walls of the upper beam member 23. The upper beam member 23 includes a web portion 30 which underlies the upper sloping floor 16 and at its outer margin the web portion 30 is provided with a reinforcing flange 31. This provides in combination with the web portion 30 and the upper wall 26 of the chute a substantially channel shaped member extending throughout the entire upper side of the discharge opening 11.

The hinge brackets 20 comprise a pair of walls which are formed preferably integrally with the web portion 30 and the marginal reinforcing flange 31. They are provided with aligned openings 32, Figure 4, through which the pivots 19 extend, the openings 32 being slotted for a purpose which will be apparent presently.

The door 18 includes a fiat body portion 33 and upwardly extending marginal flanges 34, 35 and 36 disposed in parallelism with the top, bottom and side walls 26, 27 and 25, respectively, of the frame 17. The respective flanges of the door 18 are brought into meeting relation at the corners and preferably are united by welding as indicated at 37 in Figures 5 and 7 of the drawings. The door 18 is provided with a pair of reinforcing hinge straps 38 which have eye portions 39 at their upper ends for receiving the pivots 19. The door 18 is reinforced transversely along its swinging edge by a beam member 40, preferably in the form of a Z-shaped member.

The door 18 is adapted to swing to closed position into abutting relation with the edge portions of the chute walls 25, 26, and 27 as indicated in Figures 1, 5 and 6, the door pivots 19 being then in the lower portions of the slotted openings 32 and a generous clearance 41, Figure 9, existing between the side walls 36 of the door 18 and the side walls 25 of the frame 17. Thereafter the door 18 is moved bodily generally upwardly to bring the converging side flanges 36 into wedging relation with the side walls 25 as permitted by the slotted openings 32. In

Ordf to accommodate the eye portions 39 Of the hinge straps 38, when the door 18 is forced upwardly, there are provided openings 42, Figures and 6, in the web portion 30 of the upper beam member 23. With the door 18 thus moved into tight wedging relation with the frame 17 and the bottom flange 35 of the former brought into close relation with the bottom wall 27 of the latter, a very tight fitting relationship is obtained. In order to prevent fine lading from percolating through at the corners of the door 18 and frame 17, which might occur due to difference in contour between the meeting portions thereof, there are provided flange sections as indicated at the top and bottom corners of the frame at 43 and 44 respectively. The function of these flange sections 43 and 44 is to continue the straight line wedging relation between the door 18 and the frame 11 into the plane of the curved contour.

Any suitable means can be employed for effecting the movement of the door 18 relative to the frame 17 to provide the wedging action and for locking it in the sealed position. For example, the latching mechanism disclosed in application Serial No. 179,795, filed August 16, 1950, and assigned to the assignee of this application can be employed. The general details of this latching mechanism are illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 8 of the drawings and described hereinafter. For a more complete understanding of this latching mechanism, reference may be had to' the copending application above referred to.

The latching mechanism may include a shaft 49 which is rotatably and slidably mounted for movement along the swinging edge of the door 18. The ends of the shaft 49 are arranged to cooperate with outer and inner keepers 50 and 51 which may be secured, as by riveting, to the side walls 21 of the frame 17 as illustrated. Each of the keepers 50 and 51 includes a shank portion 52 and a shoulder 53 along which the ends of the shaft 49 can move when the latching. mechanism is moved to or from the latching position. Each of the shank portions 52 has a bottoming wall 54 against which the ends of the shaft 49 react for the purpose of shifting the door 18 bodily from the position shown in Figure l to the position shown in Figure 8.

Near its ends the shaft 49 is slidably and rotatably mounted by means of inner and outer guide brackets 55 and 56'. Fast on the shaft 49 beyond the brackets 55 and 56 are arms 57 to which links 58' are pivoted at 59. At their other ends the links 58 are pivoted at 60 to the lower portions of the guide brackets 55 and 56. This construction permits the shaft 49 to be moved with both arotary and a translatory movement. Each of the guide brackets 55 and 56 includes a web- 62 in which is located aguideway 63 through which the corresponding end of the shaft 49 projects for operative engagement with the respective keeper 50 and 51.

The outer guide bracket 56 has a latching dog 65 rockably mounted thereon. As shown in Figure 8 the latching. dog is arranged to cooperate with the adjacent link 58 for locking the latching mechanism in the closed position where the door 18is sealed to the frame 17.

Opposite the arm 57 at the left hand end of the shaft 49, Figure 2, there is an operating. head 66 which is fast onthe' shaft 49. The operating head 66 includes a crank arm 67 to which a prying bar can be applied for moving the shaft 49 to and from the latched position.

In operation-when the door 18 is swung to the position 4 54 of the keepers 50 and 51 in such manner as to bodily shift the door 18 from the position shown in Figure l to that shown in Figure 8. Then the latching dog 65 is rocked to the locked position. When the door 18 is to be opened, this sequence of operations is reversed.

Since certain changes can bemade in the foregoing construction and different embodiments of the invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, it is intended that all matter shown in the accompanying drawings and described hereinbefore shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed as new is: I

1. In a load containing structure having a discharge opening and a door hinged adjacent one side of the opening for closing said opening, said opening being defined in part by inwardly extending side walls at each side of the opening, said walls leading from the hinging end of thedoor towards the swinging edge thereof in converging relation to present a. wedge shaped opening, hinge means interconnecting said structure and said door whereby the latter is translatorily inovablein the direction of length of the side walls of the structure to vary the side clearance between said side walls and said door respectively and also is swingably mounted on said structure, and latch meehan'isr'n cooperating with said load containing structure and said door for holding the latter closed independently of the hinge action therebetween, said door on unlatching of said latch mechanism and when restrained against tran'slato'ry movement being movable to open position by swinging movement. I

2. In a load containing structure having a discharge opening and adoor hinged adjacent one side of the opening for closing said opening, said opening being defined in part by the edge portions of forwardly extending side walls at each side of the opening, said walls leading from the hinging edge of the door towards the swinging edge thereof in a converging relation to present a wedge shaped opening, hinge means interconnecting said structure and said door comprising a pin and slot connection whereby said door is swing'able to closed position to meet with said edge portions of said side walls and is translatorily movable along said edge portions in' a direction towards the hinged edge of the door to wedge the sides of the latter against said side walls, and latch mechanism coopcrating with said load containing structure and said door for holding the latter cl'o's'ed independently of the hinge action therebetween, said door on" unlatching of said latch mechanism and when restrained against translatory movement being movable to open position by swinglng movement. I

3. In a load containing structure having a discharge opening and hinge brackets adjacent one side of the opening, door pivots in the brackets and a slotted connection between the door and brackets whereby the door is both swin'gably" and translator'ily movable, said opening being definedin part by the edge" portions of forwardly extending side walls at each side of the opening, said walls leading from the hinging edge of the door towards the swinging edge thereof in a converging relation to present a wedgesh'aped opening, andlatch' mechanism cooperating said load containing structure and said door for holding the latter closed independently of the hinge action therebetween', said door on unlatching of said latch mechanism and when restrained against tr'anslatory movement being movable to open position by swinging movement.

4 A four sided frame and a door assembly arranged to be positioned as one of the walls of a load containing hopper, said frame having a chute: like forwardly projecting extension, hinge brackets on the frame at one side of the opening, said brackets having slotted apertures for the accommodation of hinge'pivots, pivots extending throughthe apertures and a door pivotally mounted on the brackets by means of the hinge pivots,; the opening of said frame being of wedge shape with side walls leading from the hinging side of the frame to the opposite side in converging relation and the door being formed with upwardly extending flanges disposed in a plane substantially parallel with the plane of the side walls of the frame and adjacent thereto, said door being translatorily movable in a direction towards the hinging edge of the frame to bring the sides of the frame and door in close wedging relation, and latching mechanism cooperating with said load containing structure and said door for holding the latter closed independently of the hinge action therebetween, said door on unlatching of said latch mechanism and when restrained against translatory movement being movable to open position by swinging movement.

5. A four sided frame and door assembly arranged to be positioned as one of the walls of a load containing hopper, said frame having a chute like forwardly projecting extension defining the sides of the opening and a door pivotally mounted adjacent one side of the opening to close the opening and formed with upstanding flanges arranged to enclose the chute portion of the frame when the door is in closed position, said enclosed flanges of the frame at the corners thereof being of arcuate formation and said enclosing flanges of the door being in angular relation and tangential thereto; and integrally formed walls on the outer side of the frame disposed on the plane of the side flanges for bridging the space intermediate said arcuate and angular contours.

6. In a hopper having a discharge opening, in combination, a door, hinge means interconnecting said hopper and said door whereby the latter is hingedly mounted along one side of said opening and is translatorily movable with respect thereto, forwardly extending side walls defining the sides of said opening and converging away from the hinged end of said door and toward its swinging end, side flanges on said door paralleling said side walls and spaced therefrom when said door is at one limit of its slidable movement and engaging the same at its other limit of slidable movement, keeper means carried by the hopper, and mechanism carried by said door for cooperating with said keeper means to eifect sliding movement of said door to place said side flanges thereof in engagement with said side walls.

7. In a hopper having a discharge opening, in combination, a door, hinge means interconnecting said hopper and said door whereby the latter is hingedly mounted along one side of said opening and is translatorily movable with respect thereto, forwardly extending side walls defining the sides of said opening and converging away from the hinged end of said door and toward its swinging end, side flanges on said door paralleling said side walls and spaced therefrom when said door is at one limit of its slidable movement and engaging the same at its other limit of slidable movement, a keeper carried by the hopper on each side of the discharge opening and adjacent the swinging end of said door, and operating means carried by said door and projecting beyond said side flanges thereof for cooperating with said keepers to effect sliding movement of said door for placing said side flanges in wedging engagement with said side walls.

8. In a hopper having a discharge opening, in combination, a door, hinge means interconnecting said hopper and said door whereby the latter is hingedly mounted along one side of said opening and is translatorily movable with respect thereto, forwardly extending side Walls defining the sides of said opening and converging away from the hinged end of said door and toward its swinging end, side flanges on said door paralleling said side walls and spaced therefrom when said door is at one limit of its slidable movement and engaging the same at its other limit of slidable movement, a keeper carried by the hopper on each side of the discharge opening and adjacent the swinging end of said door, a shaft mo vably carried by said door along its swinging end and projecting beyond its side flanges for engaging said keepers, and mechanism for moving said shaft whereby it cooperates with said keepers to effect sliding movement of said door to place said side flanges thereof in wedging engagement with said side walls.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,014,768 Meissner Jan. 16, 1912 1,022,747 Meissner Apr. 9, 1912 1,861,153 Dorey May 31, 1932 2,042,528 Hosceit June 2, 1936 2,355,859 Hankins Aug. 15, 1944 2,506,259 Wine May 2, 1950 

